Travel Guide for the San Francisco Bay Area & Beyond!
The San Francisco Bay Area is surrounded by some of California’s best vacation destinations. Whether you are looking for the perfect mountain retreat, romantic coastal getaway, wine tasting or water skiing on a crystal clear Alpine lake, you are just a few hours away from your perfect vacation destination. In fact, the Bay Area has so much to offer that it can be a little overwhelming for both the out-of-town visitor and local explorer alike.
That’s where Explorer1.com’s travel guide comes into play. We organize the best of what the San Francisco Bay Area and beyond has to offer. Whether you are looking indoor or outdoor activities, fine dining, places to stay, events and festivals, or a quick overview to determine which destination will best meet your travel plans – we can help you find it fast. And unlike the cold, calculating algorithms that create Search Engine results and the multitude of Visitor Bureau Websites that are mandated to promote their locations and due paying members, Explorer1.com is free to independently experience vacation destinations in California and then express our own, unbiased opinions about the services and activities that we encounter there. Yay us!
So go ahead explore! From Explorer1.com's homepage you can quickly review the Bay Area & Beyond's top travel picks and get a quick glance at the region’s major events & festivals, top seasonal activities, and some urgent travel advisories. Want to dig deeper into a specific travel destination? Great! Just go to one of our featured destinations like Half Moon Bay, Santa Cruz, Sonoma or Lake Tahoe and discover all that it has to offer.
- Bay Area's Top Activities
- Bay Area's Top Attractions
- Halloween
Top Ski Resorts
Diamond Peak Ski Resort Incline Village, NV (North Lake Tahoe) – Diamond Peak Ski Resort at Incline Village, Lake Tahoe offers great ski package deals, affordable lift ticket prices, uncrowded skiing and beautiful view of Lake...
Destination — Half Moon Bay
Fitzgerald Marine Reserve — The rocky seashore hosts a living community of marine life that is of...
Halloween Inspired Bay Area Activities
Top Parades and Festivals – Going to a real pumpkin patch and selecting the perfect pumpkin create wonderful family memories and marks the beginning of the Fall festivities San Francisco SuperNatural– California Academy of...
Destination Spotlights
As the weather becomes cooler and the fall harvest moon shins bright, we would like to discuss some great Bay Area activities. Activities that are not only fun, but can be done with proper social distancing.
Starting in September, Santa Cruz, Half Moon Bay and Watsonville become awash in orange as the local pumpkin patches ready their goods for the spookiest of the holidays.
If Halloween isn't not your cup of tea, then visit a location like Napa and Sonoma Valley wineries. It is harvest time after all!
October is generally one of the warmest months on the coast — perfect for beach combing or just sitting by a firepit sipping on your favorite beverage. Warm days and chilly nights make for very romantic getaways or incredible family retreats.
Bay Area's Top Hotel & Spas
LatestMacArthur Place Hotel & Spa
Sonoma, CA — Located just four blocks from the historic Sonoma Plaza, MacArthur Place has recently...
Bay Area's Top Restaurants
Top RatedThe Girl and the Fig
Sonoma, CA — Located on the northwest side corner of the Sonoma Plaza, the restaurant has been...
Bay Area's Top Wedding Venues
LatestConerstone Sonoma
Sonoma, CA — They have two potential venues for your special occasion — each with its own...
Bay Area Articles
LatestBig Basin Redwoods State Park
Established in 1902, Big Basin Redwoods State Park is California’s first state park, and, it is with a heavy heart, I must say that it has been devastated by the August 2020 wildfires.
Bay Area's Top Coastal Activities
LatestBay Area’s Top Surf Locations
Steamer Lane Santa Cruz’ Most Famous Surf Spot – Steamer Lane (also known as Steamer’s...
Advisories
LatestExtreme Fire Danger
Please be safe… August 2020 saw some of the biggest wildfires in California’s history. Massive losses of forest acreage, homes and businesses. And, unfortunately, we are just now entering the peak fire season. Please be...
Recent Posts
Bay Area & Beyond Travel Guide
- Advisories
- Bay Area Articles
- Bay Area’s Best Gardens
- Bay Area’s Best Hikes
- Bay Area’s Best Mountain Biking
- Bay Area’s Best Ski Resorts
- Bay Area’s Top Activities
- Bay Area’s Top Attractions
- Bay Area’s Top Coastal Activities
- Bay Area’s Top Events
- Bay Area’s Top Hotel & Spas
- Bay Area’s Top Restaurants
- Bay Area’s Top Theme Parks
- Bay Area’s Top Water Parks
- Bay Area’s Top Wedding Venues
- Christmas
- Destinations
- Halloween
- Holiday
- Hot Air Balloons
- Top Events
- Wine Tasting